Protector or automobile wash apron



Oct. 25, 1927. 1,646,524

L.. P. BLAKEY PROTECTOR OR' AUTOMOBILE WASH'APRON Filed May 25. 1926 mento@ Patente-d O ctv. 2 5, 1927.

This Yinvention relatesy to an improved apron device to be Worn by persons 'during' the cleaning' of.` an automobile' or the like.

, *The primary obieot of this invention is the 5 provision oa lvvat'er (proof apronor 'proteotor to be vvorn by persons during the Washing' of any automobil@ to furnish Vcomplete 'protez'cti'on, Without discomfort. f'

"The conventional 'method ofl proteotion. during;v car'orvehicle 'vvashingisto Wearinp boots which are, quite satisfactory but very lnicomifortable and inconvenient at times; es-

pe'oial'ly vvlfen duringy "an emergency itbeL qomes necessary to rernove the boots and 151 Wear shoes. Chan-ge from'lboots to'shoe s`,"or

vice 'versa,"oon sumje's considerable time,4 lont4 the improved protector apron de'viee, I'nay beveryreadjilv donned or" disoardedfas dfesired. lwithoutfmu'rch trouble and-los'sof time.v

'2 0 Other objects and advantages of thisinvention will be apparent diiring the co urs`e of the following detailed descriptionl Y n't'he accompanying drayvin'g, forming a part of'thi's specificatiomand V wherein simif, lar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the `several`l views,

vFigure l isa fragmentary 'sid-ef'elevation of an autom'obilleyshoiiving an" operator Washing lthe'I Carzutilizingv the 'improved :Waterproofapron or protector. I

' ofthelimproved'protector in the position 'in Which-the' same "is normally' supportedj as Worn byan operator. o Y 'Figure efrefsretlve View Qffframede'- tails of theimproved'protecton in eiitended v relationg offthe inventio i the letter A jnray 'generiallyl designate' fthe t improved jfp'roteto'rz` may comprise a; Collapsible fsu-p port: frame B i upol'i" which `the`i `rnproved Waterproof apronniaterialfC isprovifdedg *f @refe-moy 'forme @faire of. an-l inchviqrfadiafmewrl iii 'rtletdhold the, ePlOl Shape ,The frame preferably comprises 'asubstantially Ui-'Shaped 'iba-S9105, cOHSistina ,Offa 'from Ted 117,', with rearwardlyextending` sideV legs' `jl2 andl. `1 A' vertical apl'eri'enietee fram@ *are 1411s pivoailvromeeed Lto', @hef has@ gram@ iatlOi. for Swinens rm 'a collapsed the'y apron 'upon 4af person. y This Vfrarrie por'- -and provides' relatively` short ground nFigure, '2j-1s a prspectivevievv of' detailsV cross rod IL and elevatedfside andre'arra sv f .allyconnected at-thei'r loyverends 17 tio'the s vfront*frame portion 14v be-ing* conneet their outer endsbymeans of {aih'riZntaP cross bar Whichis uppermost vvhenltlie-'l frame' M s swung to a vertical a'lprtfni',` S'irpff porting position.' f Of co'nrse,` the" parts 10' and are' so Connected that""tl'n'efy y be' swungV 'into 'collapeed parallel planes-"Ff l' iframe' construction 'Bf'rirftherinore=irnliids a foot' engaging vpart 25,"l adapted to? bei? edj 70 forhi'ting vthe-'position 'ofthe 4irrip 3" protector A; and this foot engaginggde preferably comprises anl el vatedfsideirail: 27 and an elevated reaii-railQS, vvhiohfarein right angled relationgtheside 'rail-27 bei'nfg;` offset; doivnvvardlyfat 30;` and providin e horizontal ground rest portion v 31 Vvvlric connected' at ,32 lto the cross rail1lofthel frame base 1Q, preferably about midway bel tween theside connecting legs 15` yandff-'oi- AW Y @e portion livvliich isconne'otedf'a37`itolthie1- l re end of :the 4side leg' off the; flaimxbase 10i.' rEheioot of the operatorfisadaptedto elevated f ,ootengag-ing rjailQS lisfois'et Va a7 and 2e, gia siih'pdsiaon that; thehei 'may y ,surfa'ee',j'tqffaoilitate tliejeasy movement-fof:

the, rforme .ene-agement therewith; i:

th right lfoot" there cross rod or bar 11 substantially midway between the legs 12 and 18, and in the relation illustrated in Figure 3 of the drawing. 1

The improved apron member C is preferably of rubber, orV other water proof material, and the same preferably includes the lower front portion 50, its lower margin being doubled at 51 about the cross rod 11 of the frame base 10, and stitched or vulcanized to receive the said rod or bar 11 therethrough in a v`water-proof connection. At the side margins thereof the front portionis providediwith sleeves 52, preferably on the rear surface thereof, vulcanized or stitched in water-proof relation, in place, andreceiving the side legs 15'and 16 of the collapsible frame front 14 therein. The apronmember C further includes the upper Vflexible portion 55, extending above the `ing width fromthetop towards the legs 12 andl of the frame base 10, where suitable sleeves 62 or the like are provided in a waterfproof stitched orvulcanized relation about the legs 12 and 13. Y

.,'At itsupper edge the upper rflexible portion `is .preferablyA provided with a belt member secured lixedly in place in any approved relation,; and providing a Vstrap portion67 extending outwardly from onel side margin of the upper portion 55, having openings 68 therein, and providingk anotherV strap portion 69 extending outwardly from the otherv side having a buckle 70, for receiving the .openings 68 of the other strap4 por-V tion 67.;` it being intended to encircle the belt y65, aboutfthe waist ofthe .wearer, in order toI support the upper flexible portion of i'the Vapron in ffro'ntof the wearer, as a protection forV the body and garment of the wearer above the legs and more particularlyV the knees. A

Tofprevent sag of the loose portion 55 of the lapron during bending ofthe washer, it is preferred to lprovide a take-up strap 75,

V-v. ywhich is secured at one end 76 atl substantially the middle Vof, the flexible top portion 55, andiwhicliis adapted'to be vextended downwardly between the legs of the operator, and upwardly atthe rear of the operator, and at its free end being provided with abuckleloop 78 for receiving thru the loop i thereof the 'belt 65 when the same is placed about the operator; it Vbeing .adapted to thread the end section 67 of the, belt 65 thru the loop 78, to hold the strap snugly between the legs of the operator, so that should the operator stoop the flexible portion 55 will be maintained close to the body and preventing outward bulge, which would be liable to permit water' to soil the wearers garments. y

The `operation of the improved protector or Vautomobile washapronewill be apparent `from theV foregoing. The upper portion 55 is flexible, and it is securely aflixed to the body of the wearer, to follow the contour of the wearers body. kThe water-proof portion of the .body C prevents the water from soiling the wearers garments, and the side panels 60 and 61 protect the sides of the legs i of the operator. The application or removal of the protecting wash apron Amay be accomplished very quickly, merely by lifting of the foot from the space 39, and opening of the belt 65.

i Various changes in the shape, size, andv arrangement of parts may be made to the form of invention herein shown and described, without departing from the spirit of this invention or the scope of the claims. .I claim: y f

1, Inan automobile wash apron construction the combination of a collapsible supporting frame, flexible i water-proofing apron means connectedwith the frame, and means carried by the apron independent of said frame for attaching the same to a persons body.

2. In an automobile .wash vapron the combination of. an elongated flexible waterproof apron element, rigid frame means connected at the lower' end of the apron element for resting upon a s upporting surface, and

means at the upper end of the apron element v for attachment to tliefbody of a wearer.

3. In an automobile wash apron the coml bination of an elongated flexible water-proof apron element, rigid frame'means at the lower end of the apron element for restingV upon la supporting surface, means at the upper end of the apron element for attachment tothe body of a wearer, andmeans carried by thef first mentioned' means for engagement by the foot of a person to cause lat` eral shifting'o'f the lower portion'ofthe apron yalong a supporting surface.y

l. An' automobile wash apron construction comprising a collapsible frame `including a floorengaging base portion and a'col lapsible front portion adapted lto benexf tended substantially verticalfrom the base portion or collapsed thereon, and a water-v proof apron portionincluding a vlower'part connectedfto the collapsible front ofthe frame and an upper flexible portionextendingabove the frame. Y'

5. An automobilewash apronlconstruction lia Lil)

. f l i comprising a collapsible frame including a floor engaging' base portion and a collapsible front portion adapted to be extended substantially vertical from the base portion or collapsed thereon, and al water-proof apron portion including a ylower part connected to the collapsiblefront of the frame and an upper flexible` portion extending above the frame, the upper flexible portion having a belt thereon for attachment above the body of a wearer.

6. An automobile wash apron construction comprising a collapsible frame including a floor engaging base portion and a collapsible front portion adapted to be extended substantiallyvertical from the base portion or collapsed thereon, a water-proof apron portion including a lower part connected to the collapsible front of the framel and an upper flexible portion extending above the frame, the upper flexible portion having al belt thereon for attachment about the body of a wearer, and a strap connected with the flexible apron portion and adapted to be engaged by the belt with the strap extended between the legs of an operator to permit the flexiblevportion to follow' the contour of the persons body when bending during a vcar operation.

7 An automobile wash apron comprising a collapsible frame including a floor engaging base portion, and an upstanding front portion adapted to be extended in right angled relation with the base portion or collapsed downwardly thereon, an elongated water-proof apron element having a`A lower VJfront portion for` attachment to theV collapsible front portion of the frame and lincluding ain-upper flexible portion adapted to extend above the front portion. ofthe frame when the latter is open, a belt at the upper end of the flexible portion of the apron for engagement about the waist of the wearer, Va -strap connected atv one end substantially at the middleof the flexible rupper portion and having a loop at its opposite end for threading thru the belt with `the strap extended between the legs of' the person Wearing the apron, side VWaterproof panels connected between the base and front portion` offthe frame, and means carried by 1 part of the apron to hold the same transversely in position.

' 9. In a car'washerls apron the combination of ai flexible apron portion Vhaving means thereon for connecting itv about the waist of a \vearer,`and having a'frame in f the lbottom thereof transversely holding the apron extended across the frontl ofjthe wearer, and means on said frame'which may be connected to the legs of the wearer adjacent thefeet for holding .the frame against relative movement with respect Vto the feet of the wearer. Y l 4 .l

10. As an article of manufacture a flexible "1 5".l water-proof apron comprising a skirt adapt-VV,

ed to extend fromthey waist to the feet of the wearer, thesame being formed un-bifurcated, and vhaving side panels at the lower end thereof' extending transverselyto the apron, and frame means to hold thejside panels and the'lower portion of the skirtin relative relation.

Louis e. BLAKEY. 

